Name: George Takei
Age: 71
Occupation: Actor
Phobias: None
Special Skills: Hiking and getting along with people
Best known for his roles as Mr Sulu in Star Trek and Hiro Nakamura’s father in Heroes, actor George Takei was born and bred in America and has never actually seen I’m A Celebrity-Get Me Out Of Here!
George may be the oldest ever contestant in the series but he says that he is a very fit person but might struggle if he has to run due to a foot injury.
He says: "I am a physically fit person. I work out every day. I used to run marathons. The marathon that got me to stop was the London marathon. I did terribly at that one. That was in 1991. I had foot surgery so my doctors said I can’t run now - or should not run. I walk 45 minutes every morning."
George says he hasn’t got a clue what he is letting himself in for, but just thinks an adventure in the jungle would be fun.
He says: "I’m American, so we don’t get your show here. I have never seen it. But I like challenges and from what I hear this is a survival in a rain forest program. I am willing to boldly go. I think it is going to be good fun - a trip to Australia and a rain forest."
George says he thinks he will be ok when it comes to eating things in the Bushtucker Trials - because he has already eaten live fish, a Japanese delicacy.
He says: "I’m Japanese and I love sushi. I’ve eaten many exotic fish and parts of fish. And I’ve even had live fish that’s had a bamboo spit driven through its gill attached to a radish and a bamboo spit through its tail so that it can’t flop around. It just undulates. And one side has been sliced elegantly. You pick up a slice from this undulating body with your chopsticks and you dip that slice into the ginger sauce. The slice flinches and you eat it. You can’t get fish any fresher than that. I put that live thing right into my mouth and it went undulating down my throat. It was delicious."
George says he doesn’t have any phobias, is good at working in a team and the things he will miss the most are his husband and LA.
"I think I will miss home. My husband, Brad, isn’t going to be with me so I will miss him. I’ll miss my friends and the familiarity of home. I was born in Los Angeles and I love my city I think it’s one of the most exciting cities in the world so I will miss LA. I love music so I will be cut off from that and miss being connected to what’s happening in the world."
George says he is curious about being filmed 24 hours a day, and doesn’t know how he will react and that he has a couple of interesting facts about himself that he can share with his campmates.
He would like to be in the jungle with someone who is good at survival and thinks the only thing about him which may annoy people is his laugh.
He says: "Strangely, I find nothing about me annoying, but I do have a distinctive laugh and people have mocked me for my laugh. I have a hearty laugh."